Kilmurry-Ibrickane Parish is in the Barony of Ibrickane in West County Clare. There are a number of O'Brien families living in the parish that I believe are related. My family's ancestral home is in the Townland of Killernan. Most of these families can be traced back to the mid 1800's. Their genealogies stop here because of the lack of records. Civil Birth, Death and Marriage records did not commence until 1864 and Roman Catholic Emancipation was won 1829.
There are only a few ways to connect these O'Brien families together and that is family information from private collections, earlier records from areas the O'Brien's emigrated - Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United States and other countries throughout the world and DNA, specifically the "Y" chromosome DNA test showing the male direct line of the family.
I invite you to look at their records and stories on the blog to consider if your O'Brien Ancestors may have originated from this area.
Sláinte,
Kevin James O'Brien/Caoimhin Séamus Ó Briain
Kevin James O'Brien/Caoimhin Séamus Ó Briain
Barony of Ibrickane
A barony on the coast of co. Clare, Munster. It is bounded, on the north, by Corcomroe; on the east, by Inchiquin, Islands, and Clonderalaw; on the south, by Moyarta; and on the west, by the Atlantic. Its greatest length south-south-westward is 15 miles; its greatest breadth, in the opposite direction, is 8; and its area is 57,028 acres, 8 perches, of which 598 acres, 1 rood, 9 perches are water. The southern part is almost all bog; and the northern part is a mixture of very deteriorated argillaceous arable land with pastoral uplands and very improvable moorish hills. On the north-east boundary is Mount Callan; and off the coast are Mutton and Enniskerry Islands. The chief marine indentation is Doonbeg bay; and while nearly all the coast is bold and iron-bound, some portions of it exhibit highly-imposing scenery. This barony contains part of the parish of Kilmacduane, and the whole of the parishes of Kilfarboy, Killard, and Kilmurry, the town of Miltown-Malbay, and the villages of Doonbeg, Kilmurry, and Mullagh. Pop., in 1831, 20,451; in 1841, 25,186. Houses 3,912. Families employed chiefly in agriculture, 3,411; in manufactures and trade, 668; in other pursuits, 243. Males at and above 5 years of age who could read and write, 3,267; who could read but not write, 864; who could neither read nor write, 6,810. Females at and above 5 years of age who could read and write, 1,092; who could read but not write, 885; who could neither read nor write, 8,888. Ibrickane is partly in the Poor-law union of Ennistymon, and partly in that of Kilrush. The total number of tenements valued is 2,697; and of these, 1,397 were valued under £5, - 801, under £10( The O'Brien Farms were rated at 6£ and 7£), - 265, under £15,
- 94, under £20, - 60, under £25, - 21, under £30, - 25, under £40, - 12, under £50, - and 22, at and above, £50.
The Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland, 1845 Courtesy of Clare Local Studies Project
Kilmurry-Ibrickane Parish
Map of Kilmurry-Ibrickane Parish showing Townlands A parish in the barony of Ibrickane, 2 miles west by south of Miltown-Malbay, Co. Clare, Munster. It contains the villages of
Mullagh and Kilmurry-Ibrickane. Length and breadth, exclusive of islands, respectively 8 miles and 4u; area, 25,857 acres, 3 roods, 28 perches,of which 331 acres, 2 roods, 20 perches are in Lough Doo, 40 acres, 2 roods, 29 perches are in small lakes, and 160 acres, 1 rood, 12 perches are in sea-girt islands. Pop., in 1831, 8,433; in 1841, 10,747. Houses 1,652. Pop. of the rural districts, in 1841, 10,525. Houses 1,614. The parochial surface extends from side to side of the barony, or from the western declivity of Sieve-Callan to the Atlantic ocean; and by far the greater part of it is now a congeries of wild uplands, and now a dreary expanse of bogs, moors, and bleak pasture and arable grounds. Slieve-Callan on the eastern boundary has an altitude of 1,282 feet; Knocknaboley, 2 miles further south, has an altitude of 701 feet; a hill on the south-east corner has an altitude of 700 feet; Lough Doo, 1o mile north of the last hill and all within the parish, has an elevation of 281 feet; and the rivulet Annagh ( The Annagh River is the Northern boundary of the O'Brien Farm separating the townlands of Killernan and Dunsallagh), most northerly of the three streams by which the parish is drained, descends within the parochial limits from an elevation of 509 feet to sea-level. The coast is all rocky and iron-bound; and contains the headlands of Lurga and Caherush. The principal islands are Enniskerry, Carrickaneetwar, Mattle, and Carricknola. Though several villas and mansional houses are sprinkled over the sea-board, scarcely one clump or belt of wood exists. The village of Kilmurry-Ibrickane stands 1 mile from the sea, and on the road from Miltown-Malbay to Doonbeg. Area, 14 acres. Pop., in 1841, 91. Houses 15. Fairs are held on May 17 and Aug. 25. This parish is a wholly impropriate rectory and vicarage in the Diocese. of Killaloe; and the vicars of Killard and Kilfarboy often officiate in it gratuitously. The Roman Catholic chapel has an attendance of 800; and is united to the chapel of Kilfarboy. In 1834, the Protestants amounted to 27, and the Roman Catholics to 9,029; and 7 pay daily schools had on their books 248 boys and 113 girls.
The Parliamentary Gazeteer of Ireland, 1845 Courtesy of Clare Local Studies Project
The names following the numbered townland are names that may have been used in older times, names used by locals or names that designate a specific area within the townland. If you study the Tithe Applotment Book for Kilmurry-Ibrickane of 1826 you will find many of these names are listed.
